ART DUO EQUALS NUMBER ONE

The Contemporary Austin, the go-to institution for all things cutting edge in Austin’s world of fine art, is actually comprised of two entities now combined into one. The Jones Center for Contemporary Art, housed in the historic three-story brick building constructed at 700 Congress Avenue in 1851, opened in 1998. Laguna Gloria Art Museum, once the 1916 estate of Texan Clara Driscoll, opened in 1961 and its Art School, a 4100-square foot facility constructed on the Laguna Gloria grounds, opened in 1983. In 2013, these entities merged to create engaging spaces for a rotating series of exhibitions, commissions, education, collections, and programs that reflect the spectrum of contemporary art today. An essential part of Austin city life, the Contemporary aspires to embody an eclectic and collaborative spirit through its unique combination of urban and outdoor sites, including the historic and renovated Jones Center, the restored 1916 Italianate-style villa and gardens at Laguna Gloria, and the Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park, featuring installations of site-responsive sculpture by leading artists.